Another Life
by meetmeinstlouie
Summary: Modern AU one shot. Charles's parents are visiting their son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.


**A/N: This is a fic wholly influenced by a post on Tumblr a couple of weeks ago with a gif of a young Phyllis Logan. A couple people mused that a fic should be written based on it, so…**

 **This is a one shot, folks. One. Shot. I can't start ANOTHER fic while there are so many unfinished ones out there. On the bright side, this one is fluff all the way through, with hints of smut. No major problems or dilemmas that need to be fixed for our boobies here!**

 **I did throw in a bunch of nods to other fics I've written (both finished and unfinished). You don't have to have read anything else I've written to read this fic. It's completely separate. I just like to amuse myself by putting in little inside nods. :) Some are more obvious than others.**

* * *

The first thing that is different about waking up is that it's after sunrise. Charles blinks sleepily, unaccustomed to seeing the sunlight flicker on the far wall.

The second different thing is hearing Jamie chattering away in the kitchen. Normally the youngest Carson wakes his father up because he's made his way into his parents' bedroom.

He's done that ever since he figured out how to climb out of his crib.

The third different thing is that when Charles rolls over, Elsie is still there. Charles can't remember her ever being in bed when Jamie is out of his. He smiles to himself.

 _There are advantages to having grandparents visit._

He slides out of bed as gently as possible, not wanting to wake up his still-sleeping wife. It's rare when she has time for extra rest and even rarer for her to indulge in it.

Opening the bedroom door, he goes down the hall.

His father, Peter Carson, whistles under his breath as he fries bacon on the stove. "Bess, it's almost done," he says. Charles's mother doesn't hear him. She is too busy coaxing Jamie to eat his fruit.

"One more grape," she taps his tray. "Just one, and _then_ you can have a bit of bacon." Jamie's head is turned, watching his grandfather. She smiles, shaking her head. "He won't eat for me, but he'll eat for his Grandpop."

"Like _I_ used to, according to you," Charles says. Bess turns, surprised.

"Good morning! What are you doing up?"

Charles kisses Jamie's curls. The little boy was born with darker hair, but now it's lightened into a nut brown that shows red in bright sunlight. "I heard him, and wanted to make sure he wasn't bothering you."

"He never is!" Peter transfers the bacon to a plate and sets it on the table. "We were happy to get up and feed him. _You_ should go back to bed," he tells Charles, sitting down next to Jamie. "Elsie is a smart woman, and having a lie-in while she can."

It's what Charles wants as well, but he feels obligated to protest. "If you're sure…"

"We're sure. Shoo," Bess waves him off. "We're fine here. Go back to sleep."

"Thank you," Charles says, relieved. As he walks back down the hall, he hears his father talking to Jamie.

"You like bacon, don't you, lad? Just like me…OUCH!" he yells. Charles can tell he's not really in pain. "Bess, he's got me conk again!"

"Oh dear," Bess says, laughing. "Well, you do have a big nose for him to grab."

Charles laughs under his breath. _The apple doesn't fall far from the tree._

He closes the bedroom door quietly. But Elsie is already awake, watching him.

"When did you wake up?" he asks. "Before I got up?"

"Oh, I've been awake for a while. Just enjoying not getting up." She smiles at him.

He notices the comforter pulled up to her bare shoulders. Her nightgown is on the floor. Certainly not on her, where it was when he left the room.

"Is my wee lad all settled?" she asks. "It sounds like he is."

Charles swallows. "They've got breakfast for him."

"A wonderful Nana and Grandpop," she smiles and holds out her hand to him. "Come back to me," she murmurs.

It is moments like this that he wants to pinch himself. Seeing her looking at him _like that_ , her hair spread out on her pillow. He climbs back into bed and lays down on his back, lacing his fingers through hers when she reaches across his chest. She rests her chin on his shoulder.

"I was only gone for a minute," he kisses her hand. "I thought you were asleep."

Her eyes twinkle. "I was awake before you. It's nice not having to get up right away." She leans closer and gives him a long kiss. "For more than one reason."

"Elsie," he whispers into her mouth, struggling for breath. She gets his shirt and shorts off in seconds, and kisses down his chest. Slowly.

"We can't… _now_ …," he protests feebly even as his body heartily agrees with her attentions. "Mum and Dad…in the kitchen…"

She lifts her chin above his belly, arching an eyebrow. "Then you'd best keep quiet, Charlie."

He does, but it's very difficult.

A little while later they lay side by side, breathing hard.

"How do you do that?" he gasps, clasping her hand against his pounding heart. "You are magic."

She bites back a giggle, and nudges him with her elbow. "Not magic. Divine."

"I wouldn't be surprised to find I was married to a goddess," he yawns, turning over onto his side. He grins as she wraps her arms around him from behind.

She loves holding her big bear of a man close. At times like these, she's so happy she can practically feel it radiating out of her. She kisses his shoulder. "I love you."

"Love you too," he mumbles. He drifts off within moments. She does not feel tired, but she eventually falls asleep again.

Like before, she wakes up before him. From the light in the room she can tell it's late in the morning. Her phone dings with a text message.

Reluctantly, she lets go of her slumbering husband. The text is from her mother-in-law.

 _Bess Carson to Elsie Carson, 10:07 am_

 _At the park w/ Jamie…He and Grandpop are having a wonderful time!_

There's a short video of Peter with Jamie on his lap, going down a long slide. Both yell in delight all the way down. Elsie laughs.

 _EC to BC, 10:11 am_

 _I can't tell who's having more fun!_ _Thank you both for looking after Jamie._

 _BC to EC, 10:13 am_

 _You are very welcome. We love spending time with him._ _We thought after the park we'd go to that place you took us yesterday, for an early lunch…our treat this time._

 _EC to BC, 10:13 am_

 _Sounds great – thanks! We'll meet you at the park soon._

 _BC to EC, 10:14 am_

 _Take your time…love you and Charlie too ;)_

 _EC to BC, 10:15 am_

 _Give our laddie a kiss from us. Love you and Pop!_

Elsie sets her phone aside. Charles stirs beside her and rolls over, one eye open.

"Hello sleepy," she teases, running her fingers through his wild black curls.

"What time is it?" he mumbles.

"A quarter past ten."

His bushy eyebrows shoot up and he sits up. "A _quarter past-_ "

"Shhh, calm down," she presses two fingers against his lips. "Your parents took Jamie to the park. They want to meet us for lunch, so there's no hurry. And no one's called from the front office. I assume there haven't been any emergencies, and the hotel is still standing."

He rubs the heel of his hand against his eye. "I'm not used to taking time off. If I was working, I would've been there for hours already."

"I know," she sighs. She's used to working from dawn until late as well. "But we both needed the rest. Thank God for Mum and Pop."

He flops back down onto his back. "It doesn't seem right. They come to visit, and end up looking after Jamie. And you-" he looks in Elsie's direction. "-sometimes I wonder why you married me. You work even harder than I do. You should get more time off, more time for yourself-"

"Charlie, stop," she kicks aside the comforter and scoots closer to him. It's rare that he has these moods nowadays, but she recognizes the signs. She pulls his chin towards her with her finger. "I've always worked hard. I married you because I love you. I chose _you_ …not anyone else," she smiles. "From our first kiss, I knew there would never be anyone else."

"Get away with you," he harrumphs. He can't hide his smile, though. "Our first kiss wasn't anything special. It was at the dumpster, behind the hotel. _Not_ romantic at all."

"It was," she insists. "I'd never been kissed like that before."

The memory of it still makes her shiver.

"Not even by-what was his name?" Charles asks. "Your lawyer boyfriend. You know, the one who wined and dined you, and took you on holiday. He knew how to treat you well."

"And whenever I dared to have my own opinion, he became a right arse!" Charles is winding her up, and they both know it. "If I'd have wanted to marry him, I would have. Lawyers," she snorts.

He leans on his elbow. "You do know I considered studying the law, once. Would you still have married me if I was a lawyer?"

"Yes. I would've married you, no matter what you did for a living. As long as you did _something_."

He tries to think about every career path he's ever considered. "Finance? Owning a winery? Farming?"

Elsie rolls her eyes. "I was a farmer's daughter. I didn't want to do that forever, but I'd make an exception for you, if you were a farmer."

"What about if I'd joined the army?" He watches her expression. She despises war.

Biting her lip, she studies him. "Yes," she says slowly. "I would've still married you, if you were a soldier."

"Really? Why?" His curiosity is piqued. She does not relinquish her ideals easily.

Leaning over, she cups his face in her hands. "Because you're _mine_. And that makes all the difference."

He knows she means it. "I don't deserve you."

"Oh, you do. You are a man of integrity and honor. And I am the luckiest woman in the world to have you. If you were a soldier, I know you'd never obey an immoral order." She kisses him lightly and hugs him, glad to feel him relax.

"I wouldn't. But I know the real reason why you said you'd marry me, even if I was a soldier," he says, loving the feel of her in his arms.

"The _real_ reason? Which is?" she raises her head.

"The uniform," he says, not bothering to hide his smirk. "I think I'd look quite dashing, and you would be unable to resist my charms."

The thought of him in uniform almost makes her moan aloud.

 _He always looks good, no matter what he's wearing._

 _Or if he's wearing nothing at all._

"Mr. High and Mighty," she playfully scowls at him, poking a finger against his cheek. "You'd strut down the street, expecting women to fall at your feet-"

"It's called _marching_ , not strutting," he slides his hands further down her back, caressing her skin, and he smiles wider when she gasps. "I am not a soldier, but I do know that." He shifts his weight so she's laying on top of him.

She pulls her hair impatiently out of her face, and stuffs another pillow behind his head. It's hard to do, especially because he has his arms wrapped around her, and he doesn't let go of her at all.

The friction between their bodies drives her mad.

"What else do you know?" She breathes above him, less than a finger's width between their faces.

"I know you're everything to me," he murmurs. "You and Jamie. I never would have thought I'd be so lucky. A beautiful son, a gorgeous wife – if my life had gone another way, I don't know what I would've-"

"Kiss me," she interrupts. "Kiss me now…"

He captures her lips with his. He tries to be gentle, to take it slow, but she's having none of it. Her tongue slips into his mouth. "Easy, woman," he growls when she bites his lower lip. "You're very demanding."

She doesn't want to indulge him; she knows he's enjoying this. It is not often that she begs. She tries to hold still, but it becomes more and more difficult.

Especially with him continuing to kiss her.

Everywhere.

"Please, Charlie," she cries out.

"Please what?" He rumbles into the hollow of her throat.

" _Please_ ," she says, unable to say anything else, but she doesn't need to.

He's at the end of his own restraint. "Only if you're qu-quiet," he stutters.

She isn't.

Not at all.

She needs him too much.

Rolling off of him, Elsie lays flat on her back, gasping for air. He reaches for her hand. She takes it, her body buzzing.

 _Wow. Every time I think it can't be better, it IS._

"What happened," he gasps, "To being quiet? You made _me_ keep quiet earlier."

"There were other people in the house then," she says, catching her breath. "Not now." She squeezes his hand. " _You_ weren't exactly silent either. They could probably hear you at the park."

"That was thanks to you, Mrs. Carson," he says. She laughs, and the sound sets him off. Maybe it's simply happiness, or the afterglow of sex, but they both laugh until they're crying.

Turning onto her side, she wipes her eyes. "We are silly…I do love hearing you laugh, Charlie."

They cuddle for a little while, and she shows him the video his mother had sent her. It's past eleven when they do get up for good.

After meeting the others at the park, they enjoy a leisurely lunch, then go shopping. Charles and Elsie are happy to take over watching Jamie.

"It's only fair," Charles tells his mum. "You both watched him all morning."

While his parents go into a local antique shop, and Elsie goes clothes shopping (a rare occurrence, and one he insists on), he sits on an outdoor bench by the river and lets Jamie climb up and down on it.

"You are much braver than I was at your age," he tells his son as the little boy scrambles onto the bench again, his little legs kicking. "You must get it from your mother."

He lets Jamie clamber higher, walking with him and holding him steady as the toddler wobbles on top of the concrete bench.

"You catch!" Jamie cries. He suddenly pitches himself forward. Charles catches him in midair, swinging him up and flipping him over in his arms before setting him down gently on the ground.

Jamie flings his arms around Charles's shins. "'Gain, Daddy!"

"A _gain_?" Charles asks in mock surprise. "Oh very well, but only if-you-say-the-magic-word." He taps the end of Jamie's nose for emphasis, making him giggle.

"Peeees."

Fighting not to laugh, Charles helps him climb up the bench again so Jamie can launch himself off. Their shared laughter floats in the breeze.

Elsie walks down the pretty riverwalk, bags in hand. A soft smile appears on her face at the familiar sound of her husband and son enjoying themselves.

Seeing the two of them playfully wrestling on the grass melts her heart.

She always knew Charles would be a good father, despite the doubts he shared with her before Jamie was born.

 _He's a natural._

Unseen by either of them, she sets the bags by the abandoned stroller and comes up behind them. Jamie is riding on Charles's back. He turns, seeing her.

"Mama!"

He jumps off Charles and pelts toward her. Laughing, she scoops him up. Charles gets to his feet, brushing leaves off his clothes.

"I see where I stand," he grins at Elsie. "I am Jamie's favorite – until you're here."

"Not true," she protests, kissing Jamie's cheek. "We're both his favorites at different times. He won't go to sleep for me alone, and he _always_ goes to your side of the bed first in the morning."

"Unless he's ill. Then he wants no one but you." Charles leans closer and blows a raspberry on Jamie's other cheek, making him squeal.

Rolling her eyes, Elsie swings him down into the stroller. Jamie immediately kicks his legs.

"No, Mama! _Nooo!_ "

"Jamie Carson," Charles crouches next to him and helps Elsie strap their irate boy in. "We played long enough. No, don't scream-"

" _Nooooooo_!" screams the youngest Carson, quite upset.

" _Stop_ ," Charles raises his voice slightly. Jamie stops wailing for a moment, a finger in his mouth, tears running down his cheeks.

"Mamaaaa…ouuuuuuut," he cries, hiccupping.

"No, James Peter." She tells him firmly. "Time to ride for a while."

Charles balances Elsie's shopping bags on the back of the stroller and they set off, with her pushing Jamie.

"I hate hearing him scream like that," Charles murmurs under his breath. "It feels like we're putting him in a cage."

"I know," Elsie mutters. It tears her up inside to be strict with Jamie, even when she knows she has to be. "He's tired."

"First the park this morning, and then now," Charles says. "And it's later than usual for his naptime." He sighs in exasperation as Jamie fidgets. "I'm sure we're not his favorites now."

Elsie smiles. "We both know who that is-"

"Grandpop," they say together, grinning.

"Your father is a good sport about it," Charles says. "So is your mother, though I'm sure she wishes _she_ was the favorite."

 _Jamie loves his Papa Jim and Granny Kate, too._

"Mam will never be jealous of your dad. Neither will Da," Elsie says. "Ever since he and Mam went on that holiday to Wales with your parents, they've been best friends. Have you heard from them recently?" she asks. "Your parents, I mean. They do love to browse the shops here…they might've lost track of the time."

Charles checks his phone. "Dad says they'll meet us before we go back home for tea. He's apparently enamored with an antique desk. Of course he is," he shakes his head, amused, reading the text aloud. "It's over a century old, and came from one of those houses that the National Trust owns. You know, a country home of an aristocrat who had to sell it," he explains. He squints again at his phone. "The dealer who bought the desk says he thinks it was the butler's – though he can't be sure. They found a wine ledger in one of the drawers."

"Not a very good butler, then, if he left his ledger behind," Elsie pulls the shade on the stroller further over Jamie.

Charles wags his eyebrows at her. "Maybe he was distracted by the housekeeper."

"Maybe he was," Elsie raises her own eyebrows, playing along. "Maybe he was madly in love with her."

"It wouldn't be a surprise, even if butlers and housekeepers didn't marry back then. A man falls in love with a woman he works with? Perish the thought!" Charles puts his phone in his pocket and slips his arm around her waist.

"How very scandalous," she looks up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

His heart skips. "Terribly risqué."

"A housekeeper would have possession of most, if not all of the keys in the house," she continues. "It would not be difficult to find a spare bedroom…"

"No doubt, having found said bedroom, they would discuss next week's garden party, or a problem with staff," he says.

"No doubt." She bites back a giggle, feeling the low vibration of his laughter as he kisses her cheek.

 _We never snuck off to an empty room at the hotel._

 _Well. Only once._

 _Once a week._

She muses it was a very good thing that they had bought their house four months before their wedding. They'd almost gotten caught _in flagrante delicto_ several times before then.

They walk at a leisurely pace for a while not speaking. Elsie stops once, just to see what Jamie's up to.

 _He's asleep,_ she mouths to Charles. He raises both fists in a silent cheer, and she has to stifle her laughter.

At tea with Charles's parents later, they learn that Peter did buy the desk. It'll have to be refurbished, and re-stained, but it's a project Charles's father is eager to begin.

It takes him longer than he expected. He ends up asking for help from his good friend, Jim Hughes. Peter strips the old paint from the desk, and Jim carefully re-stains it. They present it to Charles and Elsie ten months later, together.

All four grandparents are visiting. The reunion is an opportunity for the entire family to get together – for Charles and Elsie to enjoy their parents' company, for the two older couples to catch up, and for Jamie to be spoiled by them.

According to his grandmothers, he needs a bit of spoiling. He's still adjusting to the recent arrival of his sister, Elizabeth Kathryn.

Charles and Elsie call her Lizzy.


End file.
